Five Baloch youth abducted in Gwadar, enforced disappearances in Balochistan escalate

Gwadar [Pakistan], September 29 : The crisis of enforced disappearances in Balochistan continues to worsen, with five Baloch youths reportedly abducted by Pakistani security forces in Gwadar on September 27, 2024.

The Baloch Yakhjeti Committee (BYC), a Baloch rights organisation, highlighted the incident on X, stating, "The saga of enforced disappearances continues in Balochistan with Baloch youth as its prime victims. Today, five Baloch youngsters, residents of Maksar Dasht of district Kech, were abducted from Gwadar."

The BYC identified the victims as Mehraaj, son of Noor Baksh; Ejaz, son of Hussain; Ayub, son of Hamza; Zakria Zakir, son of Yaqoob; and Doda Khalid. The organisation condemned the Pakistani state's actions, accusing its security forces of "feasting upon the Baloch society like monsters." It also called on the global community and human rights defenders to "confront this monster and preserve the right to life of the Baloch nation for the sake of humanity."

The saga of Enforced Disappearances continue in Balochistan with Baloch youth as its prime victims. Today, five Baloch youngsters, residents of Maksar Dasht of district Kech, were abducted from Gwadar. The victims were identified as:

•Mehraaj son of Noor Baksh

•Ejaz son of… pic.twitter.com/h63wailld2

— Baloch Yakjehti Committee (@BalochYakjehtiC) September 28, 2024

PAANK, the human rights wing of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), echoed the concerns in another post, expressing alarm over the increasing frequency of disappearances. "Five more young students forcibly disappeared from Gwadar, Balochistan by Pakistani forces," the group wrote, stressing the systematic targeting of students and educated youth.

According to PAANK, enforced disappearances have become a tool for silencing dissent in Balochistan, with students and young activists being particularly vulnerable due to their potential to expose systemic discrimination and human rights violations. The organisation raised concerns over the abductees' fates, stating that many of the victims are subjected to torture, forced confessions, and extrajudicial killings.

5 more young students forcibly disappeared from #Gwadar, #Balochistan by Pakistani forces.

Paank expresses its deep concern over the continuing pattern of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, Pakistan, particularly in the city of #Gwadar. According to the latest reports and… pic.twitter.com/9GmZCKPT6F

— Paank (@paank_bnm) September 28, 2024

Pakistan, a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention against Torture (CAT), is bound by international law to protect individuals from arbitrary arrest and detention. However, the state's failure to address or prevent enforced disappearances highlights its disregard for these commitments.

Enforced disappearances in Balochistan are not isolated events but part of a larger crackdown on dissent, with Baloch activists accusing the military and intelligence agencies of orchestrating these abductions to suppress demands for autonomy. The impact extends beyond the victims, instilling fear in local communities and further diminishing trust in state institutions.

Despite growing international pressure, Pakistan's lack of accountability has exacerbated the issue. Victims' bodies are often discovered in remote areas, showing signs of torture, further damaging Pakistan's global reputation.

The ongoing repression in Balochistan underscores the state's reluctance to confront the unchecked power of its military forces. While the world watches, Pakistan's empty promises of justice continue to contrast sharply with the grim reality on the ground.

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